1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to containers, systems, and methods for shipping freight, and more specifically to containers, systems, and methods for shipping freight of all types from a customer""s premises through land vehicles and aircraft to the premises of the consignee, preferably without the need for intermediate repackaging of the freight. The freight container of the present invention can accept freight on standard-sized pallets and has a size and shape which is compatible with a wide variety of standard-sized trucks and aircraft.
2. Description of the Related Art
The efficient, safe, and secure shipment of freight, including but not limited to correspondence, materials, goods, components, and commercial products, is an important component in today""s business, particularly in view of the international nature of most business enterprises. Freight often is shipped nationally and internationally by means of several different transportation devices, such as trucks, trains, ships, and airplanes. Before the freight reaches its destination, it is often handled by several different entities, such as truck companies, intermediate consolidators, railways, shipping companies, and airlines.
While a number of methods and systems for shipping freight is presently available, the shipment of large volumes of freight typically involves a complex and inefficient transfer and repackaging of freight before it ultimately is received by the consignee. By way of example only, parcels of freight are typically picked up by one entity and brought to a transfer point where the goods are consolidated with other freight into boxes or containers. These boxes and containers, often containing freight of a variety of different customers, are then shipped by land, sea, or air to another site where the parcels of freight are unconsolidated, reloaded, and then delivered to the consignee. Throughout this process, different entities have custodial control of the freight, increasing the prospects of mishandling or error. This complex process results in obvious inefficiencies and expenses. It also increases the prospects for damage to or loss of the freight as it is transported from the customer""s premises to the premises of the consignee.
An object of the present invention is to provide a container, system, and method for shipping freight, particularly large volumes of freight, which represent significant improvements over the prior art.
Another object is to provide a container, system, and method for shipping freight which permits the freight of a particular customer to be loaded at the customer""s premises and then secured, and preferably sealed, before it leaves the customer""s premises.
Yet another object is to provide a container which can accept and safely hold standard-sized loads of freight and has a size and shape which is compatible with a wide variety of standard-sized trucks and aircraft.
Still another object is to provide a container, system, and method for shipping freight which permits a single shipper to be solely responsible for the custodial control of the freight from the customer""s premises to the consignee.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements, methods, and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
To achieve the objects and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention comprises a freight container for holding and transporting freight, the freight container comprising a base, a pair of opposed side walls, and a pair of opposed end walls, one of said end walls including an opening for the loading and removal of freight, the container and the opening being sufficiently large to permit the loading and removal of freight to and from the container by a conventional fork lift truck, the container having a length of approximately 13 feet.
Preferably the freight container has a door which can close the opening and which can be selectively locked to secure the freight in the box. The container preferably has a height of 8 feet, a width of 8 feet, and can contain at least 12 standard-sized pallets of freight. The container in its preferred form is sized and shaped to fit laterally or longitudinally into a variety of wide-bodied airplanes and longitudinally into a variety of conventional trucks and truck trailers.
The invention further comprises a system for shipping freight from the, premises of a customer to the premises of the ultimate recipient by means of transportation including one or more land vehicles, the system comprising an inventory of identical freight containers for holding the freight to be shipped, each container having a length of approximately 13 feet and including a base, a roof, a pair of opposed side walls, a pair of opposed end walls, and an opening formed in one of the end walls. The opening is sufficiently large to permit a conventional fork lift truck to load and unload freight into and out of the container. The one or more land vehicles removably support at least one freight container and transport the at least one container to and from the customer""s premises.
In an embodiment of the system of the present invention, the system also includes an aircraft for removably supporting at least one freight container and transporting the at least one freight container from one airport to another. The system also preferably includes locking devices on the vehicle and the aircraft which engage a portion of the freight container and secure the container on the vehicles and/or aircraft, as the containers are being transported. The system also preferably includes scanning or computer devices for placing transactional information regarding the freight and its intended destination into a computer memory, which information can be used to track the freight and ensure that it is properly shipped, insured, and passed through customs or any other governmental or jurisdictional transfer.
In addition, the invention includes a method of shipping freight directly from a customer""s premises to the premises of the consignee comprising the steps of transporting to a customer""s premises at least one freight container having a base, a roof, a pair of opposed side walls, and a pair of opposed end walls, one of the end walls including an opening for the loading and removal of freight, the container and the opening being sufficiently large to permit the loading and unloading of freight to and from the container by a conventional fork lift truck. At the customer""s premises freight is loaded into the at least one freight container and the freight is secured in the freight container. One or more land vehicles transport the at least one freight container from the customer""s premises to the premises of the consignee of freight.
The method of the present invention also can include the steps of transporting the at least one freight container and its loaded freight, in a secured state, from the customer""s premises to an aircraft and loading one or more of the secured freight container into the aircraft. The aircraft transports the at least one such secured freight container to a designated airport, where the at least one freight container is transferred to a land vehicle for transporting the freight to the consignee.
Preferably, all of the above steps, except the step of loading or unloading the freight container, are performed by a single entity which is responsible for the custody and control of the freight container and any freight in the container during the performance of these steps. In certain methods of the present invention, the freight container, with or without a movable trailer for the container, is left at the customer""s premises and placed solely in the customer""s custody and control while the customer""s freight is loaded into the freight container.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.